Update, 19 October. Sadly, British Gas has today pulled the deal below, presumably due to its huge popularity. We've left the write-up as it was for reference. But don't fear... you can still save a typical £200/yr+ on your energy with other deals via our Cheap Energy Club.

Yes, you read that right. We're not often fans of big energy firms, so there was a collective stunned silence at MSE Towers this week when we realised prices have risen so much that the new British Gas tariff is the cheapest fixed deal on the market (after cashback). Not only that, but it also throws in free boiler cover.

And when we say cheapest, that's not cheapest Big 6 fix, or cheapest big name - it's on average cheaper than even small suppliers' fixes. Martin says he can't remember the last time this happened (though that could just be his memory, he's getting on a bit). And a special message...

If you're already with British Gas on its standard tariff this is a no-brainer - yet don't expect it to switch you, you need to take action.

Now on to the specifics...

The new British Gas tariff, typical saving £220/year.†The new†BG Boiler Cover Oct 2019†tariff relaunched on Thu - it was last around about a month ago, but it's a better deal now as other prices have risen since. It's an online dual-fuel only deal (ie, you must get gas & elec) that you pay for by monthly or quarterly direct debit. It's only available via Cheap Energy Club and other comparison sites, not direct.

The rate is fixed until 31 October 2019, so it won't change before then, though obviously the amount you pay can vary with usage. Most also get £60ish basic boiler cover thrown in for 'free'. As for what you'll pay, for someone on typical usage:

- A Big 6 standard tariff averages†£1,220/yr- The British Gas standard tariff is an avg†£1,205/yr- This British Gas tariff is an avg†£995/yr†(incl £25 MSE cashback)

There are currently no cheaper fixes.†But your exact savings depend on your location and usage - to find out exactly, and to get the cashback, do a Cheap Energy Club comparison.

Of course, when the fix ends you'll be bumped up to a British Gas standard tariff, so you should look to switch again then.

You'll need to get a smart meter if you don't have one. We think it's likely BG is pushing this tariff out to help fulfil its obligations to install smart meters. A smart meter is just an automated meter, which means you needn't give meter readings in future. If you don't already have one, you'll need to agree to get one for gas, one for elec - they're free.

If you already have a non-BG smart meter, it may lose some of its 'smart' features, but you can still get the deal.

It's also worth noting that if you move home, this tariff (though not the boiler cover) can come with you. Renters can get the tariff, but not the boiler cover.

What does the boiler cover, er, cover?†It's basic cover, so will provide repairs to the boiler and controls, but not the central heating system. A £99 excess per claim applies and cover starts within 21 days of your switch completing. See it as an added extra rather than a core benefit, and some in certain circumstances may not be able to get it - if you can't and want to get your own separate cover, see our Cheap Boiler Cover guide.

If you already have boiler cover with British Gas, you'll just get the tariff. If you've already got cover from another provider, you can choose to get just the BG tariff, but not the boiler cover - try to avoid having two policies at the same time as insurers may make you split any claim.

There are cheaper tariffs available... but they're variable.†For the last few years we've been used to the cheapest deals being fixed rate. Yet the opposite is true right now - a symptom of rapidly rising prices.

The cheapest deals, as you'll likely see in your comparison results, are variable-rate deals from small providers but this means the price can move any time. These can be a further £75/yr cheaper for someone with typical bills, though some are only available in smaller areas. The risk is that the energy firm pumps prices up - then again they are cheaper now and you're not locked in. If you'd be willing to switch rapidly if prices rise, a variable-rate deal would certainly be a winner in the short term.

If you've already switched in the last year, it's unlikely to be a winner. In September the cheapest fix was £867/yr on typical use - this is £995/yr. That shows the rapid rise in prices of cheap switchers' tariffs - fuelled (so to speak) by rising oil prices.

But if your fix is coming to an end, or you haven't switched before, this is a contender. It's also strong for those who are reluctant to switch other than to a big name.

You could wait to see if cheaper prices come in, and the oil price rise has tailed off so that's possible. Yet it's unlikely there'll be any great savings, winter is coming and this is a decent package. †

Alternatively you could go for a cheap two-winter fix to protect yourself from price hikes for longer.

Does MSE make money if I switch via Cheap Energy Club?†Yes. Like all energy comparison sites, we're paid each time you switch through us. Unlike most others though, we give everyone who switches via us about half (that's what the cashback is). †

You still pay the same as if you went direct to the energy firm (though you can't go direct with this British Gas deal), so it's a win-win. The rest helps cover our costs and hopefully makes us some profit.

If you're on prepay or in Northern Ireland this isn't for you, but you can still save. Prepay customers†can try our prepay comparison - savings are smaller, typically £100/yr, but it could still be worth it. For bigger savings, see if you can switch to a credit meter. See Cut Prepay Energy Costs.

What does switching actually mean? In practical terms switching isn't a biggie. No one visits your home (unless it's to install a smart meter). It's the same gas, same electricity, even same safety - the only changes are price and service. See our Switching FAQs for more help.

ITV followed Martin's return to his childhood home in Cheshire, and he reveals some life lessons he's learned that he hopes will help parents. As he says...†
"We live in one of the world's most competitive consumer economies, yet many children aren't prepared for it, and the playing field isn't level. There's a divide between those in the know and everyone else. I'm aware I'm one of the lucky ones - my professional success is beyond anything I could've ever dreamt of - but the path hasn't always been easy, I've had to manage failure too. There's a lot I wish someone had told me in my teens." Do watch or set the Betamax... more on the show.

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DON'T believe the fake ads on Facebook
Lots of scam ads that litter social media lie that we or Martin promote Bitcoin, binary trading etc. See Fake ads warning.

Multi-car insurance is financial Marmite. It's pointless for some, a big winner for others, as Clare told me on Facebook:†"Switched to multi-car and†saved £700 - couldn't believe it."†When I've talked about it before, many have told me they can't do it as their cars' renewals aren't at the same time (I did a Twitter poll on it last week and found 84% of you with 2+ cars in the household are in that boat). Yet that ISN'T a blocker - here's a quick briefing:

Is multi-car a winner? My rule of thumb...†What tends to happen is multi-car newbies get hot offers to suck 'em in, but that advantage can disappear at renewal. So my multi-car renewal rule of thumb is... if you've currently got a multi-car policy, check separate quotes for each vehicle first (see below for how)†- if you've separate policies, check multi-car first.

Getting multi-car if you've different renewal dates.†Three multi-car insurers - Admiral*, LV* and Aviva* - let you set up a policy at your 1st car's renewal, while the other car(s) stay with their existing insurer, until their renewal. Quotes will incl an 'annual equivalent price', as if all the vehicles were insured for a full year, to help you compare. An example'll help...

Imagine your Smart car's renewal is 1 Nov, so you get the policy then, but your Thick car stays on its current policy until its renewal on 4 Jan. From then on, both cars have synchronised renewals at 1 Nov.†

This works well for those with policies that renew within a few months. If renewals are further apart, comparing can be tricky, as for a long period only one car will be insured on the multi-car policy - so will it be sufficiently discounted to beat a standalone policy? The answer differs with each insurer - see multi-car split renewals for details. Yet if the savings are large, it can be worth multi-car insuring both cars straightaway and cancelling the 2nd car's existing policy - see switching not at renewal for how.

The top multi-car options.†Comparison sites don't do multi-car searches, so you have to check quotes manually by trial and error. Try the three more specialist multi-car insurers - Admiral*, LV* and Aviva* - first. †

But some other insurers do simply give a reduction for each additional policy added, while keeping the policies separate. This can be an especially easy route if an insurer already covers one of your cars, so check the price when the 2nd car's up for renewal. The ones doing this are More Than* (15% off), Axa* (up to 15%), Esure* (10%), Privilege (varies) and Sheilas' Wheels* (10%). Plus Direct
Line* and Churchill* offer multi-policy discounts - ie, for two car policies, or a home and car policy etc.

New.†2.03% savings fixed for 1yr.†For the last couple of weeks we've been telling you about the new easy-access†Marcus account*†(min £1 deposit) paying 1.5% AER variable (incl a fixed 0.15% bonus for 12mths) - the best rate for years. This week there's a new top 1yr fix account from†Shawbrook Bank†(min £1k) paying 2.03% AER, just pipping the previous winner - though if you're saving over £10,000 it can be beaten by†this Raisin deal. Full info in†Top Savings.

Two of the highest-paying reward credit cards give a lucrative boost in the first three months you have 'em. That makes right now the sweet spot for applications, as your boosted rewards will be earned over the high-spend Christmas and New Year period. Of course, this isn't about debt. This is about using credit cards for your normal spending, then paying off†IN FULL†each month, so there's no interest - if you do need to borrow, this isn't for you. See full info in Credit Card Rewards, in brief:†

£100 Amazon/M&S vch & airport lounge passes, poss in time for Xmas.†Accepted applicants for the Amex Rewards Goldcard†(eligibility
calc / apply*) who spend £2,000 on it in the first 3mths earn 20,000 Membership Reward points. These can be swapped for a £100 voucher to spend at Amazon/M&S/Ikea etc. You also get two free airport lounge passes and at least 1pt per £1 spent. But fail to repay fully and it's 22.9% APR interest.

While £2,000 sounds a lot, it's equivalent to £667 a month, which for many families is do-able (use it for all spending, but not as an excuse to overspend). Amex promises the bonus points within a month of hitting the spending trigger (as long as it's within 3mths) but most usually get them in a day or two.

Important: The card has no fee in the first year, but it's £140 a year after that, so cancel before then to avoid it.

Up to £100 in cash, ongoing up to 1% cashback - but it's paid after a year.†The fee-free Amex Platinum Everyday (eligibility calc / apply*) gives 5% cashback on all spending within the first 3mths (up to a max £100 cashback). You then earn up to 1% afterwards (you get a bigger % the more you spend). Fail to repay in full and you'll pay 22.9% rep APR. The cashback is paid in the month after the anniversary of you getting the card, as long as you spend £3,000+ on it in a year.

Which card is best? If you want the money quickly and will definitely hit £2,000 in the first 3mths, the Gold card wins. If not, as long as you'll spend over £3,000 in a year, go for the Platinum card. The Platinum card also wins if you're going to spend substantial amounts over a longer period, as it still gives you cashback after the first 3mths (rather than points with the Gold card) and has no annual fee. †

Of course, these are American Express cards, and so aren't as universally accepted in the UK as Visa/Mastercard, but they should work for most major retailers. For alternatives, plus options if you won't hit the £2,000 spending trigger, see our Credit Card Rewards guide.

The Credit Card Reward Golden Rules.†
a) Do all your normal spending on the card to maximise the gain (but it's not an excuse to overspend).
b) Always repay IN FULL each month, preferably by direct debit, to avoid interest that will dwarf the gain.
c) Never withdraw cash. You pay interest on it even if repaying in full, and it hits your credit score.
d) Never go over the credit limit, or you can be fined.

New.†Hot pay-as-you-go Sim - only pay for data you actually use.†Newbies to Smarty* (uses Three's network) can get unltd mins & texts + 2GB data for £7.50/mth - plus crucially you're refunded†£1.25/GB†for any data you don't use, applied as a credit against your next bill. You're not tied into a contract so can leave anytime, but if you stay you'll get the 2nd mth free, and a £10 Amazon vch emailed to you after 3mths. Full help in†PAYG Sims.

It's not market stalls but big mature companies with call centres that tend to be best to haggle with. The perfect time is when you're near the end of your contract or cover and they're desperate to keep your business. We've put it to the test and found which firms are likely to offer you a better deal on mobiles, TV, broadband, insurance and more.†See full help in our†Haggle with Call Centres†guide - but here are the need-to-knows to open negotiations...

PS for Virgin customers:†It's hiking broadband, phone and TV prices this month or next. You'll have got a letter or email if affected - even if you're mid-contract, you've 30 days to leave, which means it's perfect haggle time, as John on Twitter found:†"Renegotiated. Got immediate credit of £50 & £45/mth reduction for next 12mths."††For full help, see†Haggle with Virgin.

Revealed - the top 10 firms to haggle with. In our recent poll, MoneySavers told us which service firms they've tried haggling with in the past year - and whether they had success. Here's the top 10:

top 10 service firms to haggle withcompany, TOTAL SUCCESS RATE (AND SUCCESS RATE LAST YEAR)

Top haggling tips for EVERY provider. It's more art than science, but if you don't ask, you don't get. Try these...

- Benchmark the best buys. Then quote 'em & ask for a price match. See Broadband Unbundled, Cheap Sims etc.
- Be polite & charming. Don't get stroppy. Think of it as financial flirting - dazzle your way to the discount you want.
- Get put through to retentions. Say you'll leave & get put through to the 'disconnections' department, which is really 'retentions'. Its job is to keep you and it has more discounting power.
- Don't fill the silence. A classic sales technique is staying quiet so you'll accept an offer to fill the silence - don't.
- If it doesn't work first time, try again. MoneySavers have been refused one day, then had a good offer the next.

Lots more tips in our sector- and company-specific haggling guides.†See the following for detailed help:

Get paid to play Santa.†The real one can't be everywhere at once, so if you're good with kids and pass background checks (obvs), earn £8+/hr working shifts as Father Christmas, a helper or a grotto manager.†Ker-jingle bells

STUDENT LOAN RECLAIM - SUCCESS OF THE WEEK:"Thanks Martin Lewis. Quick call to the Student Loans Company and my wife and I got back £290 altogether for†early student loan repayments."(Send us yours on this or any topic.)

Older MoneySavers are more likely to give food†past its best†a chance.†Last week our poll asked whether you eat food past its best-before date. Over 13,000 responded, and it seems age matters - while 52% of men and 45% of women aged over 65 said they ignore best-before dates altogether unless it's obviously off, that was true of just 30% of men and women under 25, with younger MoneySavers more likely to just chuck it away. Full breakdown in†Best-before date poll results.†

Q: I've never had credit, so have no credit history. How do I check which cards I can be accepted for? Lori, via email.

MSE†Karl's†A: Having little or no credit history can make it difficult to get the best credit card deals, as lenders base lending decisions on your past. To check how likely you are to be approved, use our eligibility calculator. Checking this way won't harm your chances of being accepted, as it does what's known as a 'soft search'.

However, you may find that with no credit history your chances of getting many cards are low. One solution could be a 'bad credit' credit card, which you may be more likely to be accepted for. These cards usually charge hideous rates of interest (if not repaid each month IN FULL), but used correctly can help boost your credit score. See Credit Cards for Bad Credit.

Other ways to boost your credit score include making sure you're on the electoral roll and checking your credit file is up to date - for more tips, see our†Boost Your Credit Score†guide.†

That's all for this week, but before we go... according to a viral video this week, we've all been using cheese graters the wrong way - apparently you should hold them horizontally so the cheese collects inside. Get gouda here, you say... we could barely brie-lieve it either. It got us talking about other household objects we've been using wrong for years - MSE Jenny's just realised why baby vests have wide necks, while MSE Megan's started opening toothpaste in a whole new way. Share your gadget gaffes in our†Horizontal cheese grater?†forum thread.

We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of this email and the site. We're a journalistic website, and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques - but can't promise to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong.

What you need to know

This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances - and remember we focus on rates not service.

We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned, how likely they are to go bust, but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips).

We often link to other websites, but can't be responsible for their content.

Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion.

More about MoneySavingExpert and Martin Lewis

What is MoneySavingExpert.com?
Founded in February 2003, it's now the UK's biggest consumer help website with more than 12 million people getting this email and about 13 million using the site every month. In September 2012 it became part of the MoneySupermarket Group PLC. Its focus is simple: saving cash and fighting for financial justice on anything and everything. The site has over 80 full time staff, more than a third of whom are editorial - researching, analysing and writing to continually find ways to save money. More info: See About MSE.

Who is Martin Lewis?
Martin set up and is chairman of MSE. He's an ultra-focused money-saving journalist and consumer campaigner with his own ITV prime-time show The Martin Lewis Money Show and weekly slots on Radio 5 Live, This Morning and Good Morning Britain, among others. He's a columnist for publications including the Telegraph, Sunday Mirror and Woman magazine. More info: See Martin Lewis' biography.

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How this site works

We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of the site. We're a journalistic website and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques, but can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong.

This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances and remember we focus on rates not service.

Do note, while we always aim to give you accurate product info at the point of publication, unfortunately price and terms of products and deals can always be changed by the provider afterwards, so double check first.

We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned (how likely they are to go bust), but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips).

We often link to other websites, but we can't be responsible for their content.

Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion.

MoneySavingExpert.com is part of the MoneySupermarket Group, but is entirely editorially independent. Its stance of putting consumers first is protected and enshrined in the legally-binding MSE Editorial Code.